The present invention relates to digging booms for trenching machines, and more particularly to an improved and simplified universal digging boom for attaching either a conventional digging chain or a rock and frost chain.
It is conventional in trenching operations to provide at least two different boom assemblies for the trenching machine. One of the boom assemblies is used for attaching a conventional digging chain with teeth for working in normal ground conditions. The other boom assembly supports and attaches a rock and frost chain with teeth for working in rough or hard ground. Changing from one boom assembly to the other is a problem because of the time and labor expended in the changeover.
The boom assemblies are heavy and awkward to manipulate, and it is difficult to connect the boom and chain to the drive train of the trenching machine. Further, after a period of use, dirt and corrosion often render removal of the boom assembly from the trencher quite difficult. Thus, there has been a need for a multi-purpose boom assembly which can remain attached to the trencher and wherein both types of digging chains can be attached to it.
The disadvantages of conventional trencher digging booms have resulted in the present universal digging boom which attaches both conventional and rock type digging chains.